The present invention relates to a dissolution type thermal transfer film for three dimensional patterns and a method for manufacturing the same, which allow the formation of ornamental three dimensional patterns with an improved performance based on the step of directly transferring the thermal transfer film already made to the object of interest and a subsequent step of partially dissolving the transferred film, and further to a process wherein a base film of polyester, polypropylene or polyvinylchloride or a base film of the same kind but unglazed through coating with a mat agent is laminated with various functional layers through the dry printing process and transferred to the surface of wood or plastic molded material to form three dimensional patterns with the help of two auxiliary dissolving steps.
Generally, in case that the decorative work is conducted for the articles including picture frames, furniture, interior parts and the like made of wood or plastic molded material, the formation of three dimensional patterns on the surfaces of those articles is achieved through a serial operations including repeated paintings, dryings and dissolutions. Specifically, the base color is primarily coated on a frame, another color is coated on the primary color and so on, then the coated colors are dried and subsequently the colors are partially removed or dissolved to form desired three dimensional or raised patterns. This process involves a fundamental problem because the coating operations including the partial dissolving operation should be conducted manually and so excessive working time is required due to the complexity and tediousness of the operation, the efficiency of production is low together with the increased cost and furthermore there is a limitation in providing a variety of designs and patterns.
Accordingly, there has been a continuous demand for a proposal of measure for a variety of patterns and enhanced work efficiency.
The invention was created to resolve the above-described problem with the conventional art in connection with coating of a paint and removing of the dried color coating and the object of the invention is to provide a thermal transfer film for three dimensional patterns and a method for manufacturing the same film wherein the formation of three dimensional patterns is very easily achieved, working time is shortened with the reduced manpower to result in markedly reduced manufacturing cost due to the increased efficiency and moreover a variety of high-valued three dimensional patterns and designs are realized, based on the basic idea of substantially dry printing of thermal transfer films in a process of direct thermal transfer to the articles to be decorated by using only heat and pressure, followed by dissolving the unwanted portions out from the printed plastic film by taking the advantage of the property of a solvent capable of dissolving a plastic.
The object is achieved according to an aspect of the invention by transferring the thermal transfer film according to the invention in dry state to an article to be decorated made of wood or plastic molded material only with the use of heat and pressure and by subsequently forming a desired decoration in three-dimensional pattern through two dissolution processes, wherein the thermal transfer film comprises a base film consisting of polyester, polypropylene or polyvinylchloride without a mat agent or coated with a mat agent to provide a unglazed film, an optional releasing layer based on acrylic resin as the main component having separability to be mounted on the top of the base film, a print layer made of a water-soluble acryl-based resin, or water-soluble or alcoholic vinyl-based resin having dissolving power on the top of the optional releasing layer, a metal powder-printed layer or metal vapor-deposited layer, a thermosetting protective layer, a secondary acryl-based print layer and finally an adhesive layer coated in that order.
The object is also achieved according to another aspect of the invention by a method for manufacturing a thermal transfer film for three dimensional patterns, which comprises the steps of: coating the acryl-based resin, as the main component, by using ketone-based solvent, acetate-based solvent or toluene to form a releasing layer, on a base film consisting of polyester, polypropylene or polyvinylchloride without a mat agent or coated with a mat agent to provide a unglazed film; on the releasing layer, coating the primary print layer consisting of an ink made from a water-soluble acryl-based resin, or water-soluble or alcoholic vinyl-based resin together with a dyestuff, methanol, ethanol, IPA and water; on the primary printed layer, coating a metal powder ink or vapor-depositing a thin metal layer in vacuum; on the metal layer, coating a protective layer of acryl-based resin or acrylicurethane-based resin together with ketone-based solvent, acetate-based solvent, toluene, alcohol solvent and curing agent, as the layer for preventing the under-laid print layer from dissolving; on the protective layer, coating a secondary print layer; and coating an adhesive layer for adhesion with an article to be joined.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description.